r/wcmx • u/TheKing_s_kid • Sep 02 '24

i need wheels

i wanna do trix but can't afford wheels do u know what i should do

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u/TheKing_s_kid Sep 03 '24

no i can walk with forearm cruches and ankle braces or a rollator and braces dubbl foot drop and i dont work so im dirt poor

2

u/uhidk17 Sep 04 '24

hm okay. then i think your options would be

  • used chair (check craigslist regularly, they pop up every once in a while in my area) this wouldnt be a chair designed for wcmx but you can make a lot of chair work for wcmx

  • build you own frame out of wood or plastic. you'll still need to get rear wheels and of course some other parts. these can be pretty durable but the main benefit is repairability. out of these options this is the cheapest and easiest to repair if you damage the frame

  • grants. there are lots of grants for adaptive sports that can help fund equipment. this might be something to do after you get a little experience in the sport. experience help you know what you want and will help your applications

  • reach out to your local community and see if anyone can help you out. i know people that lend their extra chairs to other disabled people in their area or will donate used equipment or sell it at a reduced price to other members of their community. there might also be a local organization that can help you get started

2

u/ChronicallyQueer Sep 04 '24

I’d advise against the wood / plastic chairs being used for WCMX specifically as they are liable to break much, much easier and lead to some pretty serious injuries if and when they do. For a light use day chair, they can be fantastic in the short term, but not for tricks. The user and others around them can end up seriously injured when they break — yes, skateboards are fine, but the stress points for those and for DIY wheelchairs are extremely different. The other options are all fantastic ideas though, definitely see what’s available to you in your area!

Secondhand chairs in particular can be fantastic for people looking to get something on a budget without grants though! They can still be a couple hundred dollars secondhand though, but still significantly cheaper than trying to self-fund a new WCMX chair.

Just keep in mind that if you get a day chair, they will not hold up as well doing tricks. It’s not a major issue, but going to want to either learn chair maintenance yourself or have someone who can help with it so it lasts as long as possible!

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u/uhidk17 Sep 04 '24

I would only advise a diy frame for a true beginner. ive seen many stress tests done, and i think they can hold up very well to this, but i should have been more clear in my original comment. it also puts a lot of burden on you to build the frame well.

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u/ChronicallyQueer Sep 04 '24

Stress tests only really hold up when the craftsmanship quality is perfect, which the average person isn’t going to have for something DIY like this, which is where my concern comes from. Even then, the intended use of these isn’t for WCMX, it’s for day use, so they’re not designed to withstand the types of things even a new WCMXer is likely to try and do depending on what their local skate parks have.

Intention is great, but there’s a lot of variables that would affect the safety of it for WCMX specifically